Lilly of the Valley
by Lockea Stone
Summary: Vignettes paint a sorrowful and sympathetic picture of Lyude's siblings, especially his sister, as they grow up, and how jealousy can turn to hate.
1. A World of Sand

Lilly of the Valley

_"I'm thirteen years old and my father has just died."_ Vignettes paint a portrait of a young girl whose anger threatens to consume her in an oppressive world. As loneliness threatens to tear her apart, Vallye must come to understand her own emotions in order to move forward. In order to save herself.

A sympathetic look at Lyude's siblings, especially his sister, and how jealousy can become hate.

AN: Wahh. I didn't like Vallye or Skeed much until I started writing this. I have a lot in common with Vallye, which helped me write the story in a true and reasonable way. I'm the second eldest daughter of a high ranking petty officer, and I was the only military eligible child. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself, because rank was always really important, I wanted to be an officer. But the military is still a man's world, and it's been a struggle for me.

Part of Vallye's story is also part of mine, but I suppose that will make it more realistic. My goal is to make you guys fall in love with Lyude's cruel siblings, not as sadistic older siblings, but as desperate and lonely young adults.

Recommended soundtrack: Tempus Vernum by Enya, the vocals very much remind me of Vallye.

* * *

Chapter One: A World of Sand

Death

I'm thirteen years old and my father has just died. Beside me, Skeed stands like an unmovable fortress, a pillar of strength. His face is impassive and so, even though I want to cry, I school myself to be strong like him.

On my other side is Almarde, the foster nurse who was placed in charge of us six years ago, when Mother died. She's crying softly, not allowing any noise to disrupt the service of Father's burial. Beside her, my other brat of a brother is sobbing away into her skirts. He can't even face up to a scraped knee, let alone a funeral for one of the few adults in his small life. The most important man in my life.

I hold the case containing Father's imperial saber closer to me, waiting for Skeed and I to be called forward. When we are, he places Father's rifle in the coffin and I follow suit. Father looks like he's sleeping in his imperial uniform, the black with red trim and accent to his auburn hair. It's the same color as my hair. You can't even tell how he died, for all the awful blood has been washed away. Together we close the casket, and as Father is lowered into the sandy ground, Father's squad fires seven shots in perfect timing.

Skeed and I lead the procession of mourners away from the dessert burial ground. This act is supposed to be preformed by the spouse and eldest son, but our Mother is dead. Behind us, Lyude sobs, oblivious to the fact that we are now orphans.

He doesn't care, he has Almarde after all.

* * *

Test

Imperial training usually begins at the age of ten. Cadets are sent to the imperial fortress to be trained. It's a tough lifestyle, and that's why most soldiers are boys. There's no law that says girls can't join the army and try to become an officer (you have to pass a test during the third year of training). When I was seven, just a little older than my younger brother, Skeed joined the army as a cadet. That was when I decided I wanted to be a soldier, just like Father.

Had Mother been alive, she would never have allowed it. She had already begun training me to become a suitable wife to a high ranking official. When she died, Father was to busy to take an active part in our lives. Even though Almarde agreed with Mother, I refused to listen to her. With Skeed's help, I went to the Fortress shortly after my tenth birthday and became an Imperial Cadet.

Now, it's come to sink or swim. The final test of my abilities. Those that pass go on to the Officer's program and are trained for the next year to become officers, those that don't pass go straight into the army as petty soldiers. In all my family's glorious history, not one has ever failed the test.

Except, I feel that I might. I have poor aim, and I'm only really good at math and strategy. After my horrible blunder the first year of training, I have had to practice shooting every chance I get in order to keep up with my peers. While there's more to being an officer than good aim, soldiers won't follow a commander who can't even hit her target.

Soldiers won't follow a girl anyway, hence the reason very few girls have ever passed the test.

Part of the test is written, and I'm sure to pass that, but in shooting practice I'm a fair shot at best. There's no way I can back out now. If I fail the test, I'm still committed to the army until my twentieth birthday. Worrying will do me no good.

When the time comes, I stand at the ready with my rifle. The drillmaster calls out the shots. Draw, fire two, reload, fire two. All this in the course of twenty seconds. I make it within the time limit, but my shots hit outside the bull's-eye. At least, however, they hit the target. That's how the performance portion of my test goes.

I spend the next week at home on break, fretting and wringing my fingers while Almarde tutors my brother and pretty much ignores me. It's been that way ever since she realized I wasn't going to listen to her. She's not my Mother, that brat she takes care of killed Mother.

By the end of the week, I'm on my last nerves. If that little brat asks me to play with him one more time, I'd strangle him. I'm a soldier, not a babysitter. I don't ever want kids, all they do is whine and cry. I don't remember the last time I cried, it was probably before Mother died.

Finally, it's time to return to the Imperial Fortress. I use all my discipline to keep from running straight to the mess hall where the results of the test are posted. Instead I head towards the officer's room that's only mine because I'm a girl and it would be pointless to put me in a barrack room.

Skeed's waiting for me outside my room, and from his serious expression I know he has news for me. I usher him inside before tackling him. "Have you seen the test results?" I ask, trying to hide desperation from my voice.

"Yes." He answers me, taking a seat at my desk.

I remain standing, tugging on my uniform, "Well?" I ask impatiently, then freeze. There's a reason he's not jumping all over me in joy. "I didn't pass, did I?"

"No, you didn't." His voice remains quite serious, and before I can interrupt he continues. "But these scores go all the way up to the top. Some higher ups and the Emperor saw your scores on the written exam, and are willing to make an exception. They want you to train as a strategist instead."

"A strategist!" I scream, unnerved and off guard by the news. "I know I'm not a good shot, but I can get better. I really want to be a soldier, not someone who sits around staring at books all day."

"Do you even know what a strategist does? This is a great honor, Vallye! To serve Emperor Geldoblame as a strategist is to advise him on the best course of action. You will be in charge of directing the attacks of all the troops. Imagine! You could play a hand in the Emperor's plan to take over the world!" Skeed's excited now. He really wants me to take this opportunity, but before I'd ever even shot my first gun, I wanted to be an officer, out there on the frontlines commanding the troops, nothing holding me back.

"I… I really want to be a soldier. I don't want to be a boring planner. I want the rush of shooting my rifle at an enemy and watching it go down. I joined the military so I'd never become a woman who did nothing day in and day out." Somehow, I wanted Skeed to understand that I wanted to be like him and Father, that I didn't want to be like Mother.

"Oh, but just imagine! You'll travel with the Emperor to far off places and see the world, that'll be your classroom, because you need to know about other people. Besides, being a regular soldier is really boring. All we do is drill, and spar, and attend boring meetings." Skeed looked wistful

"But why in the world would I want to leave Alfard to visit barbarian lands? Mintaka's the most beautiful city in the world." I asked, honestly perplexed.

"Don't you want to see the Celestial Tree or the Holoholo Jungle of Anuenue? Or how about the Trail of Souls and the Garden of Spirits in Mira? It's a grand opportunity, Vallye. As your older brother, I suggest you take what His Excellency has so generously offered you."

So I did, and no one knew that I hadn't passed the test to become an officer. That same test that my younger brother would, several years later, pass with ease and confidence.

Holiday

* * *

I hate the holiday season. It's the only time of year I actually have to wear a dress now that I've become a soldier. Women in Mintaka don't wear pants of any sort unless they're disgraceful foreigners. There's even a skirt on my uniform, but that's only a small one and there are pants underneath. Still, as a little girl I had to wear uncomfortable, scratchy dresses all the time.

In my opinion, holiday dresses are ten times worse. They're extremely gaudy and puffy. The corsets are so tight I can barely breath, and the neckline so high I could choke on it. I also look ridicules with my hair pulled back into a scarf. It draws my cheeks up to make my cheekbones look higher, but all it succeeds in doing is making my face look hollow and gaunt.

Then there's the make-up. Ugh. Almarde insists that it's either the make-up or I can wear a really heavy veil that's hard to see through. This time she's rallied the support of the neighbor women to help her get me in a dress, so there's no way I can escape. Lyude thinks it's grand entertainment as Almarde's friends tug my untamable hair back and apply rouge to my cheeks, which I wince. He laughs ever time I yelp and I swear to myself that when I get up, I'm going to kill that brat. Never mind the fact he's only six years old.

Of course, by the time I'm finally released, all I can do is clutch my chest trying to draw in deeper breaths. I don't know who thought up the torturous idea of corsets, but when I find out, I swear to desecrate their graves and lay an old curse on their bones.

Skeed walks in while I'm gasping and plotting revenge, takes one look at me, and says, "Wow! When did you discover you were a girl?"

All right! That's it! I'm going to kill both of them and be an only child. As much as I love my older brother, he can be a real bastard, and my younger brother doesn't have a clue in the world. It sucks being the middle child. I hop up from the table and tackle him while he's off guard, sending him down to the floor. Lyude, thinking it's a game, jumps on top of me. I push him away and sit up slightly so I can strangle Skeed better.

Just then, Almarde and her friend walk into the room. Of course, the only thing she says is, "Oh, look at what you've done to your hair. We'll have to redress it now."

"Fine." I snap. "You can do it after I kill Skeed."

Almarde's friend whispers in her ear, "I think she has some serious anger issues you should address." It's probably out of politeness to me.

"Her father just died, poor girl." Almarde replies, then louder she addresses me. "Vallye, we have to get you presentable, the festival's about to start."

I get off of Skeed with a whispered promise to kill him in his sleep later. "Why can't I go in my uniform like Skeed? This dress is really uncomfortable."

Almarde's friend hides a chuckle behind her hand. "Silly girl, don't you know what this festival is for?"

Uh, no. I don't know. I say as much and Almarde looks me straight in the eye and says, "It's a festival for young women to look for potential husbands."

All right, screw this. I'll kill Skeed after I kill Almarde. Dammit! I don't want a husband! Doesn't anyone understand that?

I _really_ hate holidays.

Ribbon

* * *

So. Alfard is a desert nation so the only time it ever gets cold is during the night. It's the middle of the day and I'm being escorted around by Skeed praying no one sees me in this ridiculously hot dress. One plus is that the scarf keeps my hair off my neck so I'm actually cooler than I would be in a uniform.

Certainly Skeed doesn't look to comfortable, or maybe it's that he wants to go off with his friends and scout out his own wife-to-be. I'm sure there are a lot of girls who would want to marry him, a well to do soldier with our father's handsome face.

Behind us, Almarde is explaining the festival to Lyude, who can't get past the bright colors that adorn the streets and all the booths. She assures him that someday he'll have all the girls at the festival swooning over him. Yeah, right, as if anyone would want to marry a crybaby little brat like him.

"Hey," Skeed whispers in my ear, "I'd like you to meet some friends of mine. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"Of course. It sounds like fun." I whisper back.

He takes my wrist and pulls me off into a back alley away from all the rush and excitement of the main street. We pick our way through the deserted alleys to the other side of the town where the festival is still in full swing. Near the docks are a group of well dressed officers about Skeed's age who wave us over.

"Amazing, Skeed, you never told us your sister was gorgeous!" One of them exclaims, staring at me with open amazement. Self consciously I blush and duck my head. I've never been complimented like that before.

"Are you sure she's an officer? She looks like a proper lady to me." Another adds. Immediately they're getting on my nerves, great. Disgusting boys never change. Ugh, another reason I don't want to get married.

While Skeed's friends are admiring me (and I'm on the verge of either fainting or killing them), another officer hangs back. He catches my eye for some reason. He has soft golden brown hair with a pale streak in his bangs that catches the red Alfard sun and reflects back the light as a soft pink hue.

After about ten minutes I voice my complaints that I'm about to faint of either heat or dehydration and I want to return home or at least find some shade. The two boys who still haven't gone away both jump over each other asking to escort me, but it's the blonde haired boy whose attention catches mine.

"I'll escort her, if you would like, milady." His voice is very nice and he's so proper. I immediately accept.

"Are you sure, Fadroh?" Skeed interjects. Secretly I just want him to shut up. "She's my sister, I don't mind taking her home."

"No, you need to go scout out your own potential mate, I'll watch over you sister." He- Fadroh- replies with a grin. "Shall we go, Milady Vallye?"

Milady Vallye… I could get used to that. "Yes, thank you."

We take the back alleys home to avoid the crowds. Standing on my doorstep, Fadroh pulls a small box out of his pocket. "Here, this is for you. I'd be honored if you would wear it."

I'll admit, I swooned a little as I opened up the box and took out a pure white ribbon. "Oh! It's beautiful Sir Fadroh, thank you."

I bid him farewell and step into the house. Immediately I untangle my red hair from the scarf and tie the ribbon into it, then I go to the vanity and stare at myself.

When Almarde returns home, she remarks, "Oh good, so you did receive a ribbon today. I was a little worried."

"Why?" I ask, confused. "What's so special about a ribbon?"

She stares at me, "It means there's someone out there who is considering you for a wife."

I tear the ribbon out of my hair and lock myself in my room for the rest of the day.

* * *

Poor Vallye. Even though she's become a soldier, she can't escape gender roles. I hope you liked it. And yes, Vallye's hatred is indeed jealously and misdirected rage. I don't think either sibling really hated Lyude, but they had lost a lot at a young age, and it hurt them even more to see Lyude so happy through it all. Yes, I'm really sympathetic of Vallye and Skeed.

Next time, Vallye receives a very useful gift and then discovers the wonderful world of womanhood.


	2. Learning to Sing

-1Lilly of the Valley

The reason I respond this way is because I'm an old person at heart, I've been around to long to get to know the new-fangled version, so you'll just have to deal with me and my old fashioned self.

Rebbe: Thanks. I'm glad you think so. I wanted to write one of those Spirit tells the story of the game fics but there are so many of them and I just love Lyude. I'm glad you really like Vallye's story because she's so much fun to write, especially the two vignettes about Holidays.

Katt: Like I care. I like Rebbe a lot more than I like you. Besides, would you rather I paired Vallye up with Giacomo? On second thought… hmm… That might not be a bad pairing.

Person-sama: Really? I haven't seen any about Vallye and Skeed. Sure I've seen some where they go crawling back to Lyude, all sorry about their actions. Bleh. I want things a bit more entertaining, throw a little conflict in it. As a girl who has just recently reconciled things with her own sister, I have an understanding of that hesitance Vallye and Skeed must go through. I'd be more likely to tackle my sister than give her a hug, even though I love her.

Oops, didn't mean to rant at you. Laughs nervously Anyway, if anyone cares, Katt, the reviewer just above you, is one of my sisters, so I can get away with being mean to her.

Wings of Heart: Beams Thanks! Now go read my TOS fanfics, since you write some yourself. I try to look at things different, so it's always nice to hear I succeeded.

Golden Vixen: When I was Vallye's age (waves finger like an old lady) I had no intention of getting married either. Now that I'm older, I've sort of started falling in love. I mean, it's one thing to say you'll never get married and another to have love fall on your head, as this chapter will depict. Thank you for your insight, I enjoy hearing that my writing relates to someone else, because as a writer, real relationships are often the most important to me, even in a fan fiction. So, once again, thank you and I hope you enjoy.

Lusankya: If you don't mind my asking, what's so cool about it? (Because I'm over here shaking my head going, "but it could be so much better! T.T") Anyway, thank you for the review so long after it was posted. You're the lucky one because you have had the shortest wait. Everybody else has been sitting around going, "C'mon Lockea, update already" Hah. Umm, yes bows Thanks.

AN: If anyone cares to know, the holiday is based off of White Day, which was on March fourteenth. Boys are supposed to give white ribbons to their true love on that day. Also, in case it wasn't clear before, Vallye is seven years older then Lyude and three years younger than Skeed. I chose to do it this way because my own mother is the youngest of three, a legitimate daughter with two brothers seven and ten years older. So, talking to my mom helped me grasp Lyude's side of the story (but this is unimportant since he's only mentioned once in this chapter).

* * *

Chapter Two: Learning to Sing****

Normalcy

At the end of the holiday season, Skeed and I go back to the Fortress to continue our training. I'm so much more at ease in my pristine black uniform spending my mornings in a classroom and my afternoons being taught personally by the Emperor's chief strategist. I dislike sitting around learning all day, but sometimes I look out at the soldiers doing drills in the courtyards below and am glad I'm not one of them. It's so hot outside, and for some reason I've become incredibly sensitive to it.

Besides sitting around learning strategy, I also go to meetings between the Emperor and his council, the highest ranking officials in Alfard. I don't do anything, except listen, because one day I'll be a part of the council and I should know my stuff so I don't embarrass myself in front of Geldoblame.

When I have free time, I still go down to the gallery to practice shooting. My aim is still horrible but I like to say I'm not incorrigible. I get disheartened when I see other officers hitting all their marks while I'm doing so terribly.

Other than that, time passes slowly. I'm moved from apprentice status to an officer along with the rest of the officer trainers. My fourteenth birthday draws near as the Alfard weather cools to a bearable temperature. Another holiday I hate comes and goes with little fuss.

Almarde gives me a journal and a dress I'll never wear and Skeed gives me a new rifle, probably partially as a joke. The note that comes along with the gift says, "Here, with this maybe you can become a better marksman. Happy fourteenth." I know he's making fun of me, but we're siblings. We're not exactly supposed to get along. My last gift is from Fadroh, who I haven't seen since he gave me that white ribbon just outside of my home. It's another ribbon, this time blue. If I wasn't so worried about ulterior meanings, I would have tied it up in my hair.

Still, being given a gift like that from someone other than my family brings a smile to my face, and I tuck the gift away in my pocket.

And life goes on.

* * *

Song 

I'm singing as spring reaches the empire. Even though it's been a year since Father died, I've already moved on. Skeed has turned seventeen, and Lyude has turned seven. They're born so close to each other's birthday, during the coldest month of the year, that it's hard for me to keep them straight.

I can't help but sing, because I've just now realized I've fallen in love for the first time. Those warm feelings inside me turned out to be love. How odd, because it feels so different from the adoration I give to my brother and used to feel towards father. I've only caught glimpses of him, making his way down the crowded halls, always moving faster than I can. I didn't want to realize it, because I never really wanted to fall in love.

But I have, and now I can't help but sing and dance.

I don't actually talk to him again until once unsuspecting day when I'm in the gallery with my rifle. He sneaks up behind me and watches as I shoot for the center and miss. It's his laugh that draws me out of my revery(1). "Skeed wasn't joking when he said you could use some help learning to shoot."

I tense and spin around, accidentally pointing my gun at him. Father's warning replays in my head as I quickly tilt the barrel toward the floor. _"Never aim your gun towards a target you don't intend to kill." _(2)

"Oh. It's been a while since I last saw you." I try to quell my pounding heart. It beats so loud that I just know Fadroh can hear it. "It's rude to sneak up on a person like that. I could have shot you!"

"With your aim, you could shoot me right now!" He teases with a smile. "I doubt you could do any harm to me. Where in the world did you learn to shoot, you're terrible!"

He was so nice (even if he did give me that ribbon with an ulterior meaning) to me during the festival and now he's teasing me. It reminds me of Skeed. "Sorry." I retort sarcastically, "Just because I'm a little bit slower than the boys doesn't mean I can't work hard and keep up."

He looked a little startled, "That wasn't what I was insinuating. I apologize for making you so upset, I merely wanted to offer my services as a tutor."

"A-a tutor?" I gasp, "Why in the sky?"

"Well, firstly because I like you, and second because you're a fellow officer, and we help each other out."

"Oh." I shouldn't have said anything else, but I did. "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything. It's not like I can get any worse at shooting."

His laughter was genuine as he replied, "No, it probably couldn't. I suppose telling you there's a lot more to shooting a rifle than aiming and pulling the trigger would be useless?" His eyes glittered with mirth.

"Yes, it would." And I find myself laughing along with him.

That was how I got to know Fadroh. He was a year younger than Skeed, two years my senior, and his father was pushing him to bring honor to his family by one day becoming a Commander of the Imperial Army. Quite a feat for one so young, but I didn't doubt he could do it.

I started writing in my journal everyday, but most of the time it was about him. I was a girl in love for the first time and I had no other women around to advise me. I suppose I could have talked to Almarde, but I was angry with her. I also didn't want to have to deal with the brat at home. No, I'd have much rather dealt with complicated emotions than face an over-involved nanny and a crybaby little brother.

One day, while I was practicing my still horrible gunplay, Fadroh found me and pulled me away from the gallery. Other than our initial meeting, Fadroh and I had never spoken anywhere besides the gallery and the occasional greeting in the officer's mess. He took me to one of the imperial courtyards and we sat under the shade of one of the mainly alien trees that the emperor had imported from far off lands.

"I heard you singing the other day." He spoke in a low voice, whispering the words in my ear. "I wanted to hear you sing again."

I blushed, excuses rising in my throat. "I'm nothing special, I really can't sing all that well anyway." And where had he heard me singing?

He pulled away and smiled. "Oh, I thought you had the most beautiful voice. Please sing, I have an idea that might help you learn to aim, but it's a little strange."

"I-I suppose I could." I stutter, trying to fight the blush rising in my cheeks. "But first you have to tell me what you're idea is."

He sighed, probably a little disappointed. I ignored it, gazing at him imploringly. "The way you use a rifle. It's like one would use a tool, but the way you use your voice is not. Your voice is a part of you, and when you reach that place inside of you where your voice resides, it becomes something amazing. You can perform well with your gun, if only you can find that place where the rifle becomes your passion."

I can see the way his eyes light up when he talks about this, but it seems to romantic to be true. I knew of the place deep inside where the song resided, but I doubted that place was what made me sing so well, or if it would work as well for gunplay. My thoughts were voiced to him.

"The voice is a tool, just as the arm, or knife, or- what's something a woman might use?- ah, perhaps a basket. Nothing is really just there, whether it's attached to your body or not. It's all a tool to be used, the way you use your rifle. When you make it a part of yourself and the tool becomes a true extension of your body, then it can be used to it's fullest extent." He turned to me, torn from his unusual outburst. "So, can you tell where that place inside you is? Can you sing?"

I got it. I nodded and stood up, I took a few deep breaths and closed my eyes. There was no one in the courtyard save the two of us. I found the words within my soul and I began to sing. "Here you are, daylight star, made out of miracles. Perfection of your own, you alone, oh so incredible." With every word my voice rose confidently. "The mirror melts, I'm somewhere else, inside eternity. Where you on outstretched wings, sing within, The Garden of Everything."

It's a beautiful song on a beautiful day. I'm a girl in love for the first time with her first love, and I can't help but sing.

* * *

Insanity (3) 

Another meeting ends with a twist of fate when I am called on to run an errand for one of the generals. I don't mind much as I accept a letter from Commander Giacomo to run to the other side of the fortress, because it's a chance for me to see a bit more of the fortress than I normally get to see. I stay near the other officers, and their section of the fortress; there's a whole other part devoted to research, and that's where I'm to go with the commander's message.

It's easy to get lost if you don't know your way around, but after living there for four years, I had learned to pick up on small nuances like the subtle changing of noise. Not just the heating systems, for this part of the fortress was often kept warmer than others, but also of the talk. The people here were far more relaxed and laughter rang out more than shouts. The warmth inside me returned when I walked down these halls.

That changed, however, when I stepped into one of the labs and found the doctor I had been sent to deliver Giacomo's message to. A girl, probably my own age, stormed past me and out the door. As I stared after her, watching her pink hair swing back and forth in it's braid, another spoke, a boy.

"Ah, look at that doc, you made her angry again. How come you always do that?"

I turned around and was shocked to see a boy with blue skin and blue hair streaked with red. He sat on the edge of a table in the pure white lab (which in itself was a surprising change from the dark gold hallway), kicking his legs back and forth lazily.

"I don't intend to make her angry, but she refuses to listen to reason." A scientist, an older man with curly gray hair and a bushy gray beard, retorted fiercely, before turning away from the boy and returning to whatever it was he was doing.

"Whatever. I'm going to find Ayme, before she destroys something valuable." The boy hopped off the table and brushed past me with a withering glare. I ignored it. What was his problem anyway? _I_ hadn't done anything.

Still, a dark skinned girl with pink hair and a boy who was definitely on the bluer side of things had just come out of the lab I was delivering a message to. What sort of experiments was Giacomo so interested in? Well, it really wasn't my place.

"I still remember when those two were sweet little children. Now it seems they grow harder everyday." Another scientist spoke from behind me, jerking me from my thoughts. Stupid. I hadn't even heard him approach. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, young lady. There usually isn't this much discord around here."

I inhaled deeply and regained my composure. "It is unimportant." I said in dismissal. "I have come to deliver a message from Commander Giacomo to Doctor Georg."

The old doctor who had previously been ignoring me made a scornful noise in his throat, "Humph, that coward's now sending children to deliver his messages." He rose and walked to me, "Hand it over, I may as well see what he wants now."

My face remained impassive as I handed the sealed message over to the man- Georg- who broke the seal and read it with little ceremony. He sighed and tossed the letter onto the table. "Once again he asks for the impossible… Such a fool."

The other scientist, whom I currently liked more, laid his hand reassuringly on Georg's arm. "What does he want now?"

Georg glanced at me, "Nothing of importance. Just results we can't provide this early."

"Well, I suppose we'll have to disappoint him then, won't we?" The kind doctor replied diplomatically. "I'll write a return message. You're welcome to sit down if you'd like."

I declined, the doctor continued on conversationally, "Georg's a little rough around the edges, so you'll have to forgive his abrupt nature. It's part of his charm." I wasn't interested. I was thinking about other things. Things like men and moonlit gardens and music.

When I gave the message to Commander Giacomo, he became angry and dismissed me with a furious wave of his arm. I was barely out the door before his enraged shouts ringing throughout the corridor. He's angry at something but I don't have time to think what as I rush down to the gallery to get in some shooting practice.

This strange serious of events only deepens in the end. That night there comes a shouting that is so rare it instantly draws me from my sleep. I dress quickly and run into the hall to see what has happened. Young soldiers and various Fortress staff are on their way to the other part of the fortress, and I hear their shouts.

"It's a fire! A fire in Lab 3C!"

The very same lab I had gone to visit earlier that day. I had to see what was happening. However, I was helpless as I watched the flames engulf the rooms, destroying all the research held there. Commander Giacomo watched, beside him were the two children from early, their faces all identical masks of anger and hatred.

I had no idea that these events would later shape my life beyond imagination, and change me forever.

* * *

1- This note is unimportant, but I wanted to point out that the word "revery" deals with the abstract state of mind as opposed to "reverie" which is to daydream. This is unimportant except that the word was not recognized by my spellchecker. There's you new piece of info for today. . 

2 Eternal advice from my own father when he was teaching me self defense. However, let's go to the game and have these words running through Vallye and Skeed's heads at the time. T.T… Poor Lyude.

3 This vignette was added in rather hastily after I realized some inconstancies I should have had the foresight to deal with. Kalas's birth, Ayme, Folon, and Giacomo. Due to my carelessness, there are some inconstancies, please excuse them.

I have a rough draft of the epilogue to this written. It looks something like this:

_Vallye paused once at the door. "Hey, Lyude?" She called softly to him._

"_Yes?" He replied, looking up from his desk at the back of his elegant older sister. _

"_I'm your sister, right?"_

"_Of course you are."_

_Vallye turned around to face him, and even though she wasn't smiling, her eyes looked a bit softer. That was Vallye's way of telling Lyude that she loved him. Her words rang in his head. She had never once said it out loud, but her actions of late spoke louder than words. _

"_I'm your sister."_

"_I love you."_

Next time: The unfortunate burning of the lab brings some changes to Vallye's life, love drops out and reconciliation is miles away from her standing point. She also learns a little about herself when her older brother attempts to get her out of her dump.

Lockea


End file.
